A school bus and passenger car crashed in the Inland Empire Tuesday afternoon at about 1:00 p.m., leaving all five occupants of the car injured. According to NBC news, the collision happened at the intersection of Schaefer and Euclid Avenues in Chino.

Five of twelve people injured in an accident involving an Orange Line bus in Van Nuys were hospitalized on Saturday night. According to KTLA News, five of the eight people were hospitalized on Saturday night after a car ran a red light and collided with the city bus.. The driver of the BMW involved in the accident reportedly ran a red light nat the intersection of Bessemer Street and Vesper Avenue. The worst injured was apparently an 11-year-old girl who suffered lacerations and bruises.

Yesterday afternoon at about 2:30 p.m., a 5-year-old girl was struck and seriously injured by a runaway bus. As reported by KTLA news, a bus parked near Box Springs Elementary School in Moreno Valley suddenly rolled down hill and struck the girl standing on a sidewalk. The victim was pinned against a metal fence and suffered a crushed pelvis, collapsed lung and lacerated liver. She has already had one surgery and is listed in critical but stable condition.

As reported initially by CNN, a tour bus crashed on Sunday evening in the San Bernardino Mountains taking the lives of seven people and injuring dozens more. A total of 38 people were onboard the bus at approximately 6:30 p.m. when the brakes reportedly failed, sending the bus careening down a steep mountain road and eventually into several other vehicles, before rolling over. The collision occurred on State Route 38, between Mentone and Forest Falls, according to officials.

A driver reportedly lost control of his car and struck pedestrians at a Riverside bus stop, killing two and seriously injuring two others, according to NBC news.  The accident happened this afternoon at about 1:00 p.m. on Magnolia Avenue fairly near its intersection with Tyler Street, not too far from the Galleria at Tyler mall.  According to news reports, the two fatalities involved a woman in her 20s and a little girl, 2 to 3 years old.  A second woman and and a man were hospitalized in critical condition with injuries to their lower extremeties.  The driver of the Kia Optima involved in the accident, a 50-year-old male, was not injured.  He was taken to the Riverside Police station for questioning.

Cause of This Tragedy

While the precise cause of this accident has not yet been reported, it does not appear to have been related to any serious medical condition on the part of the driver, who was reportedly taken to the police station after the collision without first receiving any medical treatment.  Had this tragedy been related to a heart attack or seizure, you might expect the driver to have been taken to the hospital along with the injured pedestrians.  The driver's age, 50, would not seem to explain the accident, as it might be with an elderly driver who confuses the accelerator and brake.  As of this moment, distracted or impaired driving cannot yet be ruled out as a potential cause.  One thing is certain, however, the pedestrians waiting at or near the bus stop were not to blame.  In all likelihood, from a purely civil liability assessment, the driver will be found solely at fault for this horrific accident, and the injuries and damages will be his responsibility.

Riverside Automobile Accidents

With regard to the 13 cities in California with a population over 250,000, Riverside actually ranks near the bottom in terms of the number of automobile accidents resulting in injury or death.  According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Riverside ranked 13th in pedestrian accidents in 2010.  Only a total of 67 pedestrian accidents, involving death or injury, were reported in all of 2010.  In light of this, the accident above might appear even more difficult to understand.  Riverside is apparently a relatively safe community in this context, making the determination of the precise cause of the collision all the more important.  Certainly the families of the victims will want and they very much deserve answers.  While nothing can ever undo the harm and the loss suffered, determining the cause of the accident can at least bring some closure.

When evaluating the cause of an accident and the injuries and/or death resulting, a personal injury attorney will need to gather essentially the same evidence as the investigating police agency.  Fortunately, the initial work done by the police can aid in making a liability determination or at least provide the foundation for a thorough reconstructive analysis.  In the case above, because death and serious injuries are involved, the investigation by law enforcement will likely be quite thorough, but it is not uncommon for a civil litigator to discover additional (sometimes contradictory) facts painting an even more complete picture.  

SOURCE:  Car Crashes Into Riverside Bus Stop, Killing Two, NBC Southern California, by Melissa Pamer and Nyree Arabian, December 28, 2012

 

Yesterday afternoon five children were injured in a school bus crash, reportedly caused by a suspected drunk driver.  The accident occurred a little after 3:00 p.m. when a female driver made a left turn in the path of the bus at a Gardena intersection.  The 30-year-old driver of the Mitsubishi Eclipse was taken for a medical evaluation and was to be booked on suspicion of drunk driving.  According to the CHP officer investigating the accident, the woman had the odor of alcohol on her breath.  Fortunately, none of the injuries to the children or the bus driver were described as serious.

See the KTLA news story and video HERE.

Drunk driving accidents are far too common, and the one above is a perfect example of what happens.  A driver, who probably doesn't think they are impaired, makes a poorly calculated decision they can make a turn safely when in fact the oncoming vehicle (bus) was too close, causing the accident.  In this instance, the impact was severe enough to all but demolish the front of the bus and send it into a nearby building.  Everyone aboard the bus is fortunate the injuries were not more severe.  Now, the female driver of the Mitsubishi faces felony drunk driving charges (because of the injuries) and civil liability for her violation of the law.  If the driver is found guilty of a violation of the left turn law (California Vehicle Code Section 21801) and/or the drunk driving statute (California Vehicle Code Section 23152), her civil liability will have been likewise established by the doctrine of "negligence per se."

Compensation for the victims of drunk driving collisions should be an important concern for all Californians.  When an impaired driver carelessly causes a serious or fatal accident, they should be held accountable for the injuries and damages to the victims and those family members left behind.  An attorney with experience at handling DUI accident cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 21 years years of experience handling traffic collision cases.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been seriously injured in an accident caused by an impaired driver?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

A bus accident this morning in Garden Grove has left three people with minor injuries.  According to the story in the Orange County Register, the collision occurred on the eastbound 22 freeway when the bus crashed into the rear of an Acura, forcing it into the back of a Ford Mustang.  The bus, reportedly operated by the Orange County Transportation Authority, was merging onto the freeway at Harbor Boulevard when it rear-ended the Acura.  The three victims were taken to a local hospital for treatment.  See the OC Register bus accident story and photographs HERE.

In another Orange County auto accident, four vehicles collided in Huntington Beach, leaving one dead and three more injured.  According to the Register article, the accident happened on Bolsa Chica Street and Tasman Drive just after 7:30 a.m.  The cause of the crash is still under investigation and the condition of the three injured parties is currently unknown.  See the  OC Register Huntington Beach accident story and photographs HERE.

With regard to the bus accident, the duty of a driver operating a bus is even higher than the typical vehicle operator.  A bus operated for hire, such as the OCTA bus here, is considered a "common carrier" under the law, and they are bound by law to carry safely those whom they take into their vehicles, and owe both a duty of utmost care and the vigilance of a very cautious person towards their passengers.  Common carriers are responsible for any, even the slightest, negligence and are required to do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under all the circumstances.  In the accident above, it would appear the bus operator violated this duty when he rear-ended the Acura, and the County of Orange would therefore be liable for the injuries and damages sustained by the victims.  As for the Huntington Beach accident, at this point, there is simply no way of knowing who was responsible for this roadway tragedy.  Given the fact there was a fatality in that collision, it is a near certainty that law enforcement will perform a complete accident reconstruction to determine fault.

Compensation for the victims of serious or fatal traffic accidents should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a driver negligently causes a serious or fatal accident, they should be held accountable for the injuries and damages to the victims and those family members left behind.  An attorney with experience at handling Orange County auto accidents can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years years of experience handling traffic accident cases.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured or killed in an accident caused by a negligent or reckless driver?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

 On Saturday afternoon, six people were injured when a car and a Metro train collided.  According to KTLA news, the accident happened at about 4:20 p.m. at the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Flower Street in Los Angeles.  Reportedly, witnesses to the accident have said a black sedan drove through a red light and was then struck by the train.  The driver of the sedan had to removed from the vehicle by emergency rescue personnel before being transported to the hospital.  Five passengers in the car were also taken to the hospital for treatment of what has been described as minor injuries.  The Metro train operator suffered only minor abrasions.  

See the KTLA news story and photographs HERE.

While train versus vehicle accident are, thankfully, rare, they do happen with some frequency in the Los Angeles area.  In fact, a Metro train and a truck collided at the same intersection back on September 5, 2011.   While this could be little more than a coincidence, the intersection where these two accidents happened appears somewhat troubling.  The view of drivers and train operators may be somewhat obscured by the buildings, fences, and trees in the area.  Beyond that, there are a number of freeway onramps and a one-way street near the accident sites, perhaps adding to the confusion of drivers.  While a full blown investigation has yet to be completed, it is possible the roadway configuration somehow contributed to the happening of this accident, along with driver error.

Compensation for the victims of automobile versus train accidents caused by a careless driver and/or a dangerous roadway should be an important concern for all Californians. When a driver operates their vehicle in violation of the law, they should be held accountable.  A personal injury lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years years of experience handling automobile accident cases caused by unsafe roads and negligent drivers.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured or killed in an accident involving a train and an automobile?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

 

 

Yesterday afternoon in Beverly Hills, perhaps as s many as 15 people were injured when two buses collided.  According to a story published by KTLA news, the accident happened at about 3:30 p.m. when a Metro bus rear-ended a double-decker City Sights LA tour bus on Wilshire Boulevard.  Reportedly, the tour bus was parked at the time of the crash, and there were no passengers aboard.  Citing official sources, KTLA reported that of the 20-25 people aboard the MTA bus, 15 complained of injuries such as cuts and bruises.  Of those injured, 9 were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.  None of the injuries were described as life-threatening.

See the KTLA story and photographs HERE.

Under California law, bus owners and operators (including those associated with public entities such as the MTA) must “use the utmost care and diligence for their passenger’s safe carriage, must provide everything necessary for the purpose, and must exercise to that end a reasonable degree of skill.”   Bus companies and public entities operating bus lines are known in the law as “common carriers”.  When they undertake the business of transporting the general public they bind themselves to carry safely those whom they take into their vehicles, and owe both a duty of utmost care and the vigilance of a very cautious person towards their passengers.   Such carriers are responsible for any, even the slightest, negligence and are required to do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under all the circumstances.  This is an exceptionally high legal standard, and any violation of the California Vehicle Code would likely be sufficient for a finding of negligence.  In the story above, it seems likely the driver of the MTA bus was not driving at a speed safe for the conditions and was not able to stop in time once he or she realized the tour bus was actually parked.

Compensation for the victims of bus accidents, caused by another’s negligence, should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a bus driver operates their vehicle in a careless or reckless manner, they should be held accountable. An Orange County bus accident attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a bus accident caused by neglect?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

 

A Riverside Transit Agency bus slammed into stopped traffic Wednesday morning on southbound Interstate 15 in Temecula.  According to a story in the Press Enterprise, the commuter bus slammed into backed-up traffic on a stretch of highway notorious for congestion and a high rate of accidents.  The chain reaction crash involved a total of five vehicles, and it sent a total of seven people to local hospitals, including the driver of the bus, whose right leg was almost completely severed..

The Enterprise report indicates the accident happened about 7:50 a.m. yesterday when the RTA bus carrying five passengers rammed into the back of a white box truck that was stopped at the end of a line of cars waiting to exit the freeway at Winchester Road.  The bus driver is suspected of failing to notice the traffic ahead had come to a stop.  According to the news report, citing information from Caltrans, the area of this accident is notorious for backed up traffic and accidents.  The Winchester Road exit is often where traffic is at a stand still for considerable periods of time during the day.  While these facts make this accident less than surprising to local residents, nothing absolves the bus driver from using due care when transporting passengers.

See the Press Enterprise story and photographs HERE.

Under California law, generally bus owners and operators must “use the utmost care and diligence for their passenger’s safe carriage, must provide everything necessary for the purpose, and must exercise to that end a reasonable degree of skill.” Bus companies and public entities operating bus lines are known in the law as “common carriers”.  When they undertake the business of transporting the general public they bind themselves to carry safely those whom they take into their vehicles, and owe both a duty of utmost care and the vigilance of a very cautious person towards their passengers.  Such carriers are responsible for any, even the slightest, negligence and are required to do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under all the circumstances.

Compensation for the victims of bus accidents, caused by another’s negligence, should be an important concern for all Californians. When a bus operator or other driver operates their vehicle in a careless or reckless manner, they should be held accountable.  An Orange County personal injury attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.   He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a bus accident caused by neglect?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.
 

According to the Associated Press, a tour bus reportedly carrying 31 passengers crashed today on the outskirts of New York City and killed 14 people.  The driver has indicated he was trying to avoid a swerving big rig when he lost control and crashed.   The Associated Press, citing police sources, has reported the bus was essentially cut open from end to end after crashing into a roadway sign.  As many as 20 passengers were treated at area hospitals.  Eight are listed in serious condition.  Some of the passengers aboard the bus were apparently asleep during their early morning trip from the Mohegon Sun casino in Connecticut to New York.  The crash happened at 5:35 a.m. on the outskirts of New York City, in the suburb of Hawthorne.

See the full story HERE.

Under California law, generally bus owners and operators must “use the utmost care and diligence for their passenger’s safe carriage, must provide everything necessary for the purpose, and must exercise to that end a reasonable degree of skill.”  Bus companies and public entities operating bus lines are known in the law as “common carriers”.  When they undertake the business of transporting the general public they bind themselves to carry safely those whom they take into their vehicles, and owe both a duty of utmost care and the vigilance of a very cautious person towards their passengers. Such carriers are responsible for any, even the slightest, negligence and are required to do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under all the circumstances.

Compensation for the victims of bus accidents, caused by another’s negligence, should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a bus operator or other driver operates their vehicle in a careless or reckless manner, they should be held accountable.  An Orange County trial lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a bus accident caused by neglect?

• Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above.  This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter.  A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

     

According to news reports, a church bus carrying middle school students crashed and went down a snow-covered embankment in Lake Gregory in the San Bernardino Mountains on Monday.  At least one person was killed, reportedly the driver of the bus, and 23 people were injured.  Citing sources with the California Highway Patrol, ABC News reported ten people sustained serious injuries and thirteen suffered minor to moderate injuries.  Officials labeled the tragic accident a mass casualty situation, and victims were taken to every available county hospital.

The bus was apparently carrying twenty-two people including middle and high school-aged children, members of a Korean church called Light of Love Mission Church in Pasadena.  The bus had departed from the Pinecrest Christian Conference Center in Twin Peaks.   For reasons not yet known, the church bus crashed head-on into a Nissan Murano, being driven by an off-duty San Bernardino Fire Battalion Chief, on SR-189 near Lake Gregory Drive just before noon.  The collision sent the bus about 50 feet down a snowy embankment before it crashed into a tree, according to the Callifornia Highway Patrol.

See the full story and photographs HERE.

Under California law, generally bus owners and operators must "use the utmost care and diligence for their passenger's safe carriage, must provide everything necessary for the purpose, and must exercise to that end a reasonable degree of skill."  Bus companies and public entities operating bus lines are known in the law as "common carriers".  When they undertake the business of transporting the general public they bind themselves to carry safely those whom they take into their vehicles, and owe both a duty of utmost care and the vigilance of a very cautious person towards their passengers. Such carriers are responsible for any, even the slightest, negligence and are required to do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under all the circumstances.

In the case above, it is very likely only a detailed investigation will explain what caused the impact between the church bus and the Nissan Murano.  From preliminary reports, it does not appear that the weather was a factor.  Additionally, officials at the scene have reportedly ruled out the possibility that drugs or alcohol contributed to this tragic bus accident.  Absent credible eyewitness accounts, accident reconstruction experts will have to piece this collision sequence together to make any sense out of how this tragedy occurred.

Compensation for the victims of bus accidents, caused by another’s negligence, should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a bus operator or other driver operates their vehicle in a careless or reckless manner, they should be held accountable.  An Orange County trial lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a bus accident caused by neglect?

• Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above.  This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter.  A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Once again, a motor vehicle accident involving a bus has injured most of the passengers on the bus, some of them seriously.  According to authorities, yesterday three teenagers were driving through a Boyle Heights neighborhood when they ran a red light, striking and killing a pedestrian instantly.  After that impact, their vehicle continued through the intersection and into a school bus, reportedly injuring the driver and 20 Roosevelt High School students.   The impact was so severe the bus was thrown onto its side.  The bus driver was seriously injured and the twenty students were taken to area hospitals where some remained overnight.  www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bus-crash-20101026,0,6555750.story?track=rss

Not too surprisingly, some of the parents of the injured children were surprised to learn from their children that there were no seat belts on the bus.  While some federal studies have shown that seat belts on buses provide little added safety and can in some cases cause unintended harm, the logical need for restraints is obvious.  If they are required in passenger cars and their use has reduced fatalities, then why not on a school bus?

 

Aside from the seat belt/restraint issue, there is the issue of driver inattention if not recklessness in this case.  It is hard to imagine how a driver could be so inattentive as to ignore a pedestrian walking through an intersection, perhaps in a marked cross-walk.  Beyond that, there is likely to be an excessive speed component in this case as the teenage driver was traveling so fast the pedestrian was killed instantly and the car still had sufficient speed to knock a school bus on its side.  The liability of this driver seems obvious, and, assuming he is a minor and a licensed driver, his parents would also be liable for the damages caused.  Under California law, when a minor applies for a driver's license, generally a parent must sign the application and therefore assume liability for the negligence of their child.  (California Vehicle Code § 17707 )  The exposure in to the parent(s) in an accident like the one above could be enormous and potentially well beyond their applicable automobile insurance policy limits.

Compensation for the victims of traffic accidents, caused by another's negligence, should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a minor driver operates their vehicle in a careless or reckless manner, they and their parents should be held accountable.  An Orange County trial lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 19 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Does the California law imposing liability on the parents of a negligent minor who causes a traffic accident seem fair?

• Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above.  This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter.  A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Bus accidents occur with shocking frequency in California and around the nation.  What often make these accidents newsworthy is the devastating, and sometimes fatal, injuries suffered by the typically unrestrained passengers.  A brief look at recent news stories makes this clear:

• May 17, 2008:

A charter bus traveling on a Mojave Desert freeway flipped on its side, killing a woman and injuring 22 other people.   The bus was the only vehicle involved in the wreck on Interstate 40 in San Bernardino County.

• January 30, 2009:

A bus carrying Chinese tourists overturned on U.S. 93 near the Hoover Dam, killing seven people and injuring 10 others, several critically.  A number of the passengers were reportedly ejected and six were pronounced dead at the scene.

• May 2, 2009:

A tour bus returning from San Diego crashed, injuring 25 people and closing part of Interstate 215 in Perris, CA, for hours.  Everyone on the bus (most of them elderly) suffered some type of injury, according to the California Highway Patrol.  Three helicopters and 10 ambulances transported the eight people who suffered critical injuries.

• March 5, 2010:

Six people were ejected and killed when a bus struck by a pickup rolled over on the interstate south of Phoenix, AZ.  The six were thrown about 10 yards in the accident.  The roof of the bus was crushed and all the windows were knocked out, with one thrown as far as 25 yards.

• October 4, 2010:

Eight students were taken to area hospitals after a crash in Carlisle Township, OH, involving a school bus.  The crash happened when the school bus was hit by a pick-up truck, sending the bus off the road.  The school bus went into a ditch and ended up on its side. These accidents were likely avoidable and the severity of the injuries could possibly have been lessened had adequate safety precautions been taken.   Mr. Ralph, representing the most severely injured passenger in the Perris crash, is dedicated to bringing his clients the justice they deserve.  For those injured, we cannot turn back the clock and undo the harm, but victims of bus accidents can receive monetary compensation for their injuries and economic losses.

Do you feel safe on a bus?  Should seatbelts or other restraints be required?